Elements of Urban Design Studio

The studio was structured as an introduction to urban design representation and how it is used as a means of design thinking. The premise was that urban design is best understood and expressed through study and representation of the built urban environment. Hence the studio focused on the study and representation of the key urban elements in cities and was structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with an exhibition of the outcome. These modules significantly focused on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment. Module 1 involved perceiving and representation of the key elements of urban design. The premise was set as building types, urban blocks, streets and public open spaces that form the key elements that come together to make any functional urban space. The exercises in this module enabled students with methods to study each element and how they contribute to the scale, form, character and their relationship with the larger urban context. Module 2 was the final exercise which involved design of public places.